Prosthetic devices are available to replace bodily components or portions of bodily components that cannot be regenerated or are no longer functioning properly. Examples of prosthetic devices include heart valves, pacemakers, spinal, dental or breast implants, collagen for soft tissue augmentation, and orthopedic devices, such as artificial knee and hip implants.
Existing artificial joints often include a component that articulates against another component, such as a metal or metal alloy ball that articulates within a cup-shaped component made of a high molecular weight polymer placed in a joint socket. Artificial joints can be used to replace hip, knee, shoulder, and other joints in order to restore function after degeneration, accidents, and sport injuries.